all matters aside, its nintendos next/new console. therefore its its own generation. Sameway if I had a kid, it would be the next generation of my family. Is he as smart as the other kids? no, but I enjoy watching him eat glue.

Yeah, you kids and your "Gen 7 was my first console". In the past, a single generation has had much more disparity than it does now. I mean, the N64 trounced the PS1 in everything but storage space. Generational changes are more of a subjective time thing than some sort of measure in power increase.

tl;dr: the Wii is Gen 7 along with the PS3 and 360, so it stands to reason that the Wii U is Gen 8.

However, it is being reported that the system has 2GB RAM in total, which is quite good.

The Wii U has a Hynix memory which is slower than what DDR3′s maximum speed is, which is 17 GB/s. The Wii U’s speed is reported to be 12 GB/s which is half the speed of PS3′s XDR which has a memory bandwidth of 25 GB/s.

It’s a well known fact that the PS3′s Cell and Xbox 360′s Xenon run at 3.0 GHZ each per core, but the Wii U CPU runs at 1.243125 GHz per core.
“It’s a Three PowerPC 750 type cores (similar to Wii’s Broadway, but more cache),” tweeted Marcan.

He has also revealed the GPU speed of the Wii U, which runs at 549.999755MHz.

Now these are quite lower than the ones found in the PS3 and Xbox 360...

However, it is being reported that the system has 2GB RAM in total, which is quite good.

The Wii U has a Hynix memory which is slower than what DDR3′s maximum speed is, which is 17 GB/s. The Wii U’s speed is reported to be 12 GB/s which is half the speed of PS3′s XDR which has a memory bandwidth of 25 GB/s.

It’s a well known fact that the PS3′s Cell and Xbox 360′s Xenon run at 3.0 GHZ each per core, but the Wii U CPU runs at 1.243125 GHz per core.
“It’s a Three PowerPC 750 type cores (similar to Wii’s Broadway, but more cache),” tweeted Marcan.

He has also revealed the GPU speed of the Wii U, which runs at 549.999755MHz.

Now these are quite lower than the ones found in the PS3 and Xbox 360...

Neither Cell nor Xenon support out of order execution, and both have far longer instruction paths. Try getting this kind of news from Eurogamer where Digital Foundry actually knows what they're talking about.

Edit:
Also, it's not literally the Broadway core. You can't just bolt three of those together. It's simply from Broadway's lineage. I also suspect early days and in-order execution thinking is partially at fault.

However, it is being reported that the system has 2GB RAM in total, which is quite good.

The Wii U has a Hynix memory which is slower than what DDR3′s maximum speed is, which is 17 GB/s. The Wii U’s speed is reported to be 12 GB/s which is half the speed of PS3′s XDR which has a memory bandwidth of 25 GB/s.

It’s a well known fact that the PS3′s Cell and Xbox 360′s Xenon run at 3.0 GHZ each per core, but the Wii U CPU runs at 1.243125 GHz per core.
“It’s a Three PowerPC 750 type cores (similar to Wii’s Broadway, but more cache),” tweeted Marcan.

He has also revealed the GPU speed of the Wii U, which runs at 549.999755MHz.

Now these are quite lower than the ones found in the PS3 and Xbox 360...

Neither Cell nor Xenon support out of order execution, and both have far longer instruction paths. Try getting this kind of news from Eurogamer where Digital Foundry actually knows what they're talking about.

Edit:
Also, it's not literally the Broadway core. You can't just bolt three of those together. It's simply from Broadway's lineage. I also suspect early days and in-order execution thinking is partially at fault.

Neither Cell nor Xenon support out of order execution, and both have far longer instruction paths. Try getting this kind of news from Eurogamer where Digital Foundry actually knows what they're talking about.

Edit:
Also, it's not literally the Broadway core. You can't just bolt three of those together. It's simply from Broadway's lineage. I also suspect early days and in-order execution thinking is partially at fault.

However, Marcan reckons that the Wii U CPU shouldn't be dismissed based on clocks alone - even with the speed deficit and with only one hardware thread per core, he suggests that it's like comparing Intel's power-hungry, inefficient Pentium 4 design with the later, better-designed Core series processors.

"The Espresso is an out of order design with a much shorter pipeline. It should win big onIPC on most code, but it has weak SIMD", he reckons.

Asked whether his clock speed metrics may apply to the CPU running in an idling state, Marcan ruled out the idea, suggesting that "1.24G is exactly in line with what we expected for a 750-based design".

"So yes, the Wii U CPU is nothing to write home about, but don't compare it clock per clock with a 360 and claim it's much worse. It isn't," he concludes.

I'm worried the Wii U might be the downfall of Nintendo. When nextgen Playstation and Xbox consoles are out in the next 2 years, what 3rd party devs are gonna want to make games for the outdated Wii U? I can only play so many Mario games.

Neither Cell nor Xenon support out of order execution, and both have far longer instruction paths. Try getting this kind of news from Eurogamer where Digital Foundry actually knows what they're talking about.

Edit:
Also, it's not literally the Broadway core. You can't just bolt three of those together. It's simply from Broadway's lineage. I also suspect early days and in-order execution thinking is partially at fault.

However, Marcan reckons that the Wii U CPU shouldn't be dismissed based on clocks alone - even with the speed deficit and with only one hardware thread per core, he suggests that it's like comparing Intel's power-hungry, inefficient Pentium 4 design with the later, better-designed Core series processors.

"The Espresso is an out of order design with a much shorter pipeline. It should win big onIPC on most code, but it has weak SIMD", he reckons.

Asked whether his clock speed metrics may apply to the CPU running in an idling state, Marcan ruled out the idea, suggesting that "1.24G is exactly in line with what we expected for a 750-based design".

"So yes, the Wii U CPU is nothing to write home about, but don't compare it clock per clock with a 360 and claim it's much worse. It isn't," he concludes.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

However, clearly there are issues, as our recent Face-Offs have demonstrated. Moore's Law uses the amount of transistors packed onto a piece of silicon as a rough indication of 'power'. With a die-size measured at 33mm2, the Wii U CPU is far, far smaller than the processors in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. With the Xenon processor in the Xbox 360's combined CPU/GPU chip clocking in at around 70mm2, the entire Wii U CPU uses around the same amount of silicon as one 360 core plus the L2 cache. Both console processors are believed to be produced with a 45nm fabrication process, so the transistor densities involved are roughly comparable. With a deficit like that, even with a generational boost in efficiency, it'll be hard for the Wii U CPU to make up the difference, perhaps explaining why developers are finding Espresso challenging to work with.

However, Marcan reckons that the Wii U CPU shouldn't be dismissed based on clocks alone - even with the speed deficit and with only one hardware thread per core, he suggests that it's like comparing Intel's power-hungry, inefficient Pentium 4 design with the later, better-designed Core series processors.

"The Espresso is an out of order design with a much shorter pipeline. It should win big onIPC on most code, but it has weak SIMD", he reckons.

Asked whether his clock speed metrics may apply to the CPU running in an idling state, Marcan ruled out the idea, suggesting that "1.24G is exactly in line with what we expected for a 750-based design".

"So yes, the Wii U CPU is nothing to write home about, but don't compare it clock per clock with a 360 and claim it's much worse. It isn't," he concludes.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

However, clearly there are issues, as our recent Face-Offs have demonstrated. Moore's Law uses the amount of transistors packed onto a piece of silicon as a rough indication of 'power'. With a die-size measured at 33mm2, the Wii U CPU is far, far smaller than the processors in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. With the Xenon processor in the Xbox 360's combined CPU/GPU chip clocking in at around 70mm2, the entire Wii U CPU uses around the same amount of silicon as one 360 core plus the L2 cache. Both console processors are believed to be produced with a 45nm fabrication process, so the transistor densities involved are roughly comparable. With a deficit like that, even with a generational boost in efficiency, it'll be hard for the Wii U CPU to make up the difference, perhaps explaining why developers are finding Espresso challenging to work with.

Click to expand...

I'd still say give it some time. No console bound engines (see: IBM Power architecture) are designed to capitalize on out of order execution as of yet. Just because a few ports of already released games didn't pan out doesn't mean the whole unit is a wash. I mean, since when are Bioware or Treyarch known for quality coding?

Besides, let's say [hypothetically] both of the new MS and Sony offerings are [probably] going to be based on x86 (see: Intel) architectures. The Wii U might end up [conceivably] being the last of the true consoles.

Besides, let's say [hypothetically] both of the new MS and Sony offerings are [probably] going to be based on x86 (see: Intel) architectures. The Wii U might end up [conceivably] being the last of the true consoles.

Besides, let's say [hypothetically] both of the new MS and Sony offerings are [probably] going to be based on x86 (see: Intel) architectures. The Wii U might end up [conceivably] being the last of the true consoles.

This post is not hypothetical, of course.

Click to expand...

What do you mean by "true console?"

Click to expand...

Not literally a PC in a weird box. A unit with something else to show for itself.

Besides, let's say [hypothetically] both of the new MS and Sony offerings are [probably] going to be based on x86 (see: Intel) architectures. The Wii U might end up [conceivably] being the last of the true consoles.

This post is not hypothetical, of course.

Click to expand...

What do you mean by "true console?"

Click to expand...

Not literally a PC in a weird box. A unit with something else to show for itself.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about this the other day while playing on my 360.

There is almost NOTHING about it that sets it apart enough from a PC to even justify selling it. Almost like it's nothing more than a ruse to help Microsoft sell more desktops.

Not literally a PC in a weird box. A unit with something else to show for itself.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about this the other day while playing on my 360.

There is almost NOTHING about it that sets it apart enough from a PC to even justify selling it. Almost like it's nothing more than a ruse to help Microsoft sell more desktops.

Click to expand...

Yeah thats what consoles are now.

The argument could be made that the Wii U is the only system thats actually a console and the others are just very limited PCs that don't even have the advantage of being up-gradable or using mouse and keyboard controls. or having decent internet browsers or being compatible with any sort of useful software. Wii has unique peripherals and Xbox and PS3 have some exclusive games. games whose strong points are LOOK AT MY HD COCK even though those glorious 1080p cocks would look better after being chubbed up by a decent gaming pc

people also have this thing about being hardcore into games, eventually sony or microsoft will take this to heart and make a machine that does nothing but Call of duty and porn and will have a rumble controller that wraps around your cock so everytime you die a vibration lovingly tells you its ok AND that your balls could use a shave.

I think I like the Wii U controller better than better graphical capabilities. but it should have enough power to make the games worth it over say a 3DS which is pretty much the same thing once you boil it down. but it has 3D instead of HD

Also anyone notice how 3D is the emoticon for a topless woman wearing an apron.

Yeah, I agree mostly. It's just that now, at least the consoles use processors not found in desktop PC's, so their choices in engineering are vast (the unified memory pool in the 360 says hi). Once we go to Intel based processors in our consoles, and the next Xbox literally running Windows 8, they'll just be cheap computers.

Yeah, I agree mostly. It's just that now, at least the consoles use processors not found in desktop PC's, so their choices in engineering are vast (the unified memory pool in the 360 says hi). Once we go to Intel based processors in our consoles, and the next Xbox literally running Windows 8, they'll just be cheap computers.

Click to expand...

That actually seems like it might turn out to be a brilliant marketing strategy.

Everyone has computers, but not everyone plays games.

But if all computers are also the mainstream gaming console, all of the perks of both will be combined. There will be more options for games, and more people will be gaming on account of them already having the console required.

Like the idea of a global currency, or even government. Consolidation. Gaming consoles are replaced by the ultimate device that does everything, and become obsolete. Microsoft becomes even more of a monopoly than it already is.

I'm worried the Wii U might be the downfall of Nintendo. When nextgen Playstation and Xbox consoles are out in the next 2 years, what 3rd party devs are gonna want to make games for the outdated Wii U? I can only play so many Mario games.

Click to expand...

That is what people said with the Wii, Powerful Console always don't guarantee a win. At least Nintendo is trying to get Third Party Support this gen.

That actually seems like it might turn out to be a brilliant marketing strategy.

Everyone has computers, but not everyone plays games.

But if all computers are also the mainstream gaming console, all of the perks of both will be combined. There will be more options for games, and more people will be gaming on account of them already having the console required.

Like the idea of a global currency, or even government. Consolidation. Gaming consoles are replaced by the ultimate device that does everything, and become obsolete. Microsoft becomes even more of a monopoly than it already is.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately the biggest concern is that console games only work at the level they do because the game itself is targeted to static hardware. The ever changing world of PC's never works in the favour of the buy-and-forget consumer. Consoles sell because when you buy a 360, you know that every 360 game will work exactly the same on every unit. There's nothing to think about.

I think consolidation is dangerous because the inherent democratization of game publication is not going to listen to the cries for a consistent experience across platforms. It sees to undo the biggest advantage consoles have always had over PC's.

Symantics, sure, it's Nintendo's nextgen console. But all it's doing is catching up to the current gen and they are waaaay late to the party. Sure it has some nice innovation, but when Sony and Microsoft come out with their new consoles the Wii U will be an afterthought.

Symantics, sure, it's Nintendo's nextgen console. But all it's doing is catching up to the current gen and they are waaaay late to the party. Sure it has some nice innovation, but when Sony and Microsoft come out with their new consoles the Wii U will be an afterthought.

Symantics, sure, it's Nintendo's nextgen console. But all it's doing is catching up to the current gen and they are waaaay late to the party. Sure it has some nice innovation, but when Sony and Microsoft come out with their new consoles the Wii U will be an afterthought.

Click to expand...

What constitutes next gen? Graphics?

Nintendo isn't playing "Catch up." They could have released an HD console when Sony and MS did it, but instead they decided to focus on something else which was motion control. Granted, most gamers hated it, but they were the leading console in sales for the generation. You sure as hell weren't comparing the sale of hardware to the original Xbox and the PS2 the entire time, were you? No.

When the PS4, NextBox come out, are you going to be comparing sales to 360, and PS3, or is it going to run against the consoles of the newer generation? Hmm... I wonder.

Symantics, sure, it's Nintendo's nextgen console. But all it's doing is catching up to the current gen and they are waaaay late to the party. Sure it has some nice innovation, but when Sony and Microsoft come out with their new consoles the Wii U will be an afterthought.

Click to expand...

What constitutes next gen? Graphics?

Nintendo isn't playing "Catch up." They could have released an HD console when Sony and MS did it, but instead they decided to focus on something else which was motion control. Granted, most gamers hated it, but they were the leading console in sales for the generation. You sure as hell weren't comparing the sale of hardware to the original Xbox and the PS2 the entire time, were you? No.

When the PS4, NextBox come out, are you going to be comparing sales to 360, and PS3, or is it going to run against the consoles of the newer generation? Hmm... I wonder.

Click to expand...

When the next big AAA title comes out on the next Sony or MS console, those developers aren't going to make a dumbed down version for the Wii U. Engines developed for nextgen consoles won't work on the Wii U. I love Mario and Zelda, but that's all your gonna get with Wii U.

Symantics, sure, it's Nintendo's nextgen console. But all it's doing is catching up to the current gen and they are waaaay late to the party. Sure it has some nice innovation, but when Sony and Microsoft come out with their new consoles the Wii U will be an afterthought.

Click to expand...

What constitutes next gen? Graphics?

Nintendo isn't playing "Catch up." They could have released an HD console when Sony and MS did it, but instead they decided to focus on something else which was motion control. Granted, most gamers hated it, but they were the leading console in sales for the generation. You sure as hell weren't comparing the sale of hardware to the original Xbox and the PS2 the entire time, were you? No.

When the PS4, NextBox come out, are you going to be comparing sales to 360, and PS3, or is it going to run against the consoles of the newer generation? Hmm... I wonder.

Click to expand...

When the next big AAA title comes out on the next Sony or MS console, those developers aren't going to make a dumbed down version for the Wii U. Engines developed for nextgen consoles won't work on the Wii U. I love Mario and Zelda, but that's all your gonna get with Wii U.

Click to expand...

That has nothing to do with the argument that the wii u isn't a next gen console. just because certain games are made for the other consoles doesn't mean that they instantly become next gen and wii U becomes a left over of the last gen

I expect Sony and MS too copy the ever loving shit out of the tablet controller. MS has that whole surface thing which has some functionality but no ones buying that for games.

Nintendo isn't playing "Catch up." They could have released an HD console when Sony and MS did it, but instead they decided to focus on something else which was motion control. Granted, most gamers hated it, but they were the leading console in sales for the generation. You sure as hell weren't comparing the sale of hardware to the original Xbox and the PS2 the entire time, were you? No.

When the PS4, NextBox come out, are you going to be comparing sales to 360, and PS3, or is it going to run against the consoles of the newer generation? Hmm... I wonder.

Click to expand...

When the next big AAA title comes out on the next Sony or MS console, those developers aren't going to make a dumbed down version for the Wii U. Engines developed for nextgen consoles won't work on the Wii U. I love Mario and Zelda, but that's all your gonna get with Wii U.

Click to expand...

That has nothing to do with the argument that the wii u isn't a next gen console. just because certain games are made for the other consoles doesn't mean that they instantly become next gen and wii U becomes a left over of the last gen

I expect Sony and MS too copy the ever loving shit out of the tablet controller. MS has that whole surface thing which has some functionality but no ones buying that for games.

Click to expand...

You might be right, time will tell. I think the tablet interface is a gimmick. I think it's a really innovative one, but I don't think it's strong enough to carry the entire platform. To me, it's all about the games, and the Wii U is playing current generation games like ME3 and Arkham City. There's nothing nextgen about that.

Head up the ass syndrome with no possible way to talk except for out of his ass.It's kinda like... you know, when being a yes man. You have no depth of being your own person, all you say is yes to what someone else says. Common symptoms are: diarrhea, and nausea.

Generations aren't based on graphics, but based on the new console life. It's a new generation that's bred in the decade. Is it, "next gen graphics?" That's an obvious no. Is it, "next gen in technology?" Having its own tricks and being able to compete, that's a yes. Is it "next gen hardware?" Nope, because all that stuff has been around on PC. Given when the nextbox and ps4 come out, their "next gen" specs will be several years behind what PC will be. So, in that sense, would you consider those 2 consoles next gen if they're behind in technology as well?

It's a life born that has it's own things, like the Wii did. The specs by no means are "next gen," but the Wii U isn't going to have only PS3 and Xbox games, it's going to have it's own library. Just because specs aren't up to date, doesn't disqualify it as being able to be unique in the next 5-7 years of console life.